Emil tyden



E. TYDEN.

SELF LOCKING SEAL.

(No Model.)

Patented Nov. 30, 1897.

77267268565. 12% %A-I.( v

UNEED" STATES EMIL' TYDEN,OE CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, Ass enon TO JOHN A.

' SAM-E'PLACE.

JOHNSON, or

Sam amess.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 594,580, dated'November 30, 1.897.

lhppllcation filed February 4 1897. Serial No. 621,966. (No model.) I

'To a 107mm .it may concern.-

Be it known that I, EMIL TYDE'N,-a citizen ofthe United States, residing at Chicago,

county of Cook, and State of Illinois, have .inv'ented certain newa'nd useful Improvement's inSe'l'f-Locking' Seals, which arc'fully set forth in the following specification, refer: ones being had .to the accompanying drawings, forming apart thereof;

The purpose of this inventlon'is to provide an improved device in the nature'of a seal "or the strap.--

of a class commonly used to. seal bags, packages, and the like, wherein a securing device, which is most frequently a flexible strap, usually of metal, is engaged with the package to be sealed or the lock which secures it, and the ends of such device, if it is a strap, are then united by a seal, which mustbe broken before they can be's'evered, so that the unlocking orjfastening of the package will be evidenced 'bythe breaking of. the seal In the drawings,' Fignre l represents a seal of the class to which. my invention belongs in the position of- 'use securing a bolt or key used .to lock :1. bag; Fig. 2 is a plan of my improved seal in the condition prior-to use. Fig.3 is 'a view showing the condition of the seal after the securingldevice is engaged and the end partly entered in the look before the fullentry which. causes it tobecome engaged and secured,'the outer plate of theseal being removed to show the interior structure. Fig.

5 is a similar View showing the locking device-fully engaged with the inserted end of the securing device and the seal fully locked. Fig. 5 is a side elevation of a tie or strap, of sheetmetal, which constitutes the securing device pertaining to the...loc k. Fig. 6 is a transverse section through my improved seal .1 at the line 6 6 on Fig. 3 on an enlarged scale.

which may be cupped or flanged, so as Fig. 7 is a similar view representing the seal,

however, as made of glass or likeinaterial and having the case renueredintegral inthe process ofinanufacture.

I will first-describe the forni shown in the principal figures, wherein the seal-case is represented as made of sheet metal?" .The bodyor case is made in two parts A and B, one of comprise the edge A of the case, the other being substantially a disk joined by soldering or otherwise, as at b, to the edge-of the marginal flange. A of the part A. Each of the partsA and B is provided with a diametrical channelor recess, forming,.when it is made ofsheet metal, exterior ribs A and B, saidchannel-ribs extending beyond the mar gin at one end and constituting a throated neck A whose throat leads into the cavity of the seal, which in CI'OSSf'SBQ-t-lOH is an oblong parallelogram,whose greater dimension is in a plane at right angles. to the disks. The

strapC isfoldedupon itself at G, the refiexed end portion C being-sufficiently greater than the diameter of Ftheflseal, so that when the. fold is lodged in the seal, as seen in Fig. 3, the end 0 will protrude. The thicknesslor lesser dimension of the foblong aperture through the neckA of the seal is onlysufficient to admit, in addition to the twothicknesses of the strap formed by the folding back of the end 0 as described, one additional thickness, and the throatway is thereby reduced, so that there is only rooin to insert the other end of the strap between the two folds, as seen in Fig. 3. A lug O is struck from the strap at a distance from the fold C substantially equal to.the' inner diameter of the seal-cavity, so that when the folded strap is lodged edgewise in the neck A before applying,th'e cap B timing 0 prevents the longitudinal withdrawal of the strap.

D is a coiled spring, preferably of very hardsteel-wire, consisting of morethan one complete coil, so that the two ends D and D lap by each other a little distance.

The'strap O is provided with a slot 0 which is-cut through the fold C, as illustrated in Fig. 5, anda little farther back from the fold both thicknesses of the strap are apertured, said apertures and c coinciding. A third aperture 0 is provided in the strap at a distance from the other end, which is substantially equal to the distance'of the apertures c and c from the fold O.

In assembling the parts the spring D is spread so that the two folds of the folded strap can be entered between the ends, and

to in this condition the ring is passed up into the slot C and the" ends thus sprung apart are lodged at opposite sides of the two folds above the apertures c and as seen in Fig. :l. Preferably slight depressions or. seats are formed for the endsof the spring on the outer faces of the strap, as illustrated at c in Fig. 5. This, however, is a mere precaution to diminish the liability of dislodgment by accident. in this condition the strap, with the spring attached thereto, as described, is lodged cdgewisc in the neck and the cap B is placed in position and uni-ted'liy soldering or otherwise to the part A. 'In use, after the strap has passed through around the package fastening or bolt which is" to be sealed the end is inserted in the fold under the end (J and pushed in until it strikes the spring-wire l), where the latter crosses the slot at I), and then, being still farther pushed inward, the two ends of the-spring are dragged over the surface of the strap until they enter'the apertures d' 0 whereupon immediately the spring-closes up elastically, the ends lapping by eachothci' 3 51 protruding through the aperture 0 and usually by the reaction the spring flies around in the case, so that the posit-ion ol' the lap is a matter of chance. 'It will be seen that'in this condition the two ends of the strap are-engaged by thespring-wire and eannotbe disengaged without rupturing either the wire' orthe strap. The three thicknesses of the strap'which pass through the n'cckA 'completely occupy. the space tljerein, andthe mode of use is such that they may make a very snug tit, precluding the possibility of introducing between them 01? on either side of them any tool which-could in any event be used to pick the lock it it could be picked, or to sever the wire if it could be severed; but the strap being made of soft and light metal and the spring D being made of very hard wire it would bcimpossible, even with a very stilf fiat tool introduced between the straps, to cut the wire, and the result of an attempt would be to merely drive it through the strap, tearing the latter in the same manner as it would be-torn if the seal were forcibly pulledotr. w

Any attempt to tease the wire around or spread the ends so as to disengage it from the ends of the strap to which it extends would be prevented by the fact that the spring is perfectly free to move, no point being fixed,

and therefore there is no means of getting a purchase upon it. Even an attempt-to get at the wire by drilling in through the edgesvof the seal would be inetfectuahbecause'it woulde t be necessary to first get the la of the wire'in' the vicinity of the eyes 0 c and then to obtain purchase on the spring with chance to -spread it by. pressure at the same time from within outward on the'two halves which are on opposite sides of the strap. In order to do this, the tool introduced for the purpose from one edge of the seal would have to be inserted entirelythrough both ends otthe Strap ipcrcome a complete means of locking the strap.

regularities as possible.

der to reach and press upon the opposite half of the wire, and the tool would thereby be- The essential feature of the device in respect to the locking-spring is that the spring is not secured, but isfree to move, and however-it moves does not escape from the apertures c c The best form of'this seal, all thin gs considered, I regard as-that shown in Fig. 7, wherein the seal is made of glass-or some similar substance instead of being made of sheet metal. The mode'of construction would be to make, bycastiug or pressing in a mold ,two parts with the interior form substantially the same as when made of sheet metal, the exterior being preferably as free from-ir- In the part A the strap and spring will be lodged, as already described, and the part B being applied, both parts being at the proper temperature to unite, (if made of glass,) the seal will virtually be integral when completed. Similar results may be obtained with other substances of such nature that the two parts of the case may be cemented together. The advantage of any vitreous material would be obviousto'wit,.

that the seal cannot be penetrated by a tool and that, being broken or ruptured,.it cannot be repaired to prevent the rupture being obvious.

When the seal is made of sheet metal, the nu mber or other mark of identificati n Will be embossed by striking up from the inside be I00 fore the two parts of the case are assembled,

and the sa'me' method may be employed when it is made of glass--thatis to say, the imprint of the number may be formed on the inside in the process of molding, though the result would not .be an embossing 0r upraising of the letter on the outside. Any pigment used to fill the depression thus formed inthe intcrior will make the letters legible from the exterior, even though the glass be not transparent to such extent as to make it possible to discover the position of the spring; but in case of a seal made of glass even transparency will not make it possible to pick the lock. When transparent glass is used, I prefer to make the seal exteriorly suflicicntly convex,

'especiallytoward the periphery,t0 give it considerable magnifying power,so that the letters imprinted upon the inner surface," though moderately small,will be magnified when seen through the glass and may therefore be more easily read at a distance.

Preferably in order to increase the difficulty of picking after forcibly penetrating the shell I when made of sheet metal) the spring' D when spread, as in'Fig. 3, should 'touch the walls of the'chamber on opposite sides and bear somewhattlght-ly against them, so that any attempt to spread the ring, even if pressure could be applied to both sides to spread it,

"would b'ouseless unless the wire could be positively engaged at both sides, so that the operator could no t merely push it apart, but in addition could pull'the ends apart after the ngseo sideshad touchedlthe wall of-the chamber,

and this, it isbelieved, in practice would be an impossibility} A Upon analysis of this structure it will he noticed that the portion ofthe strap 0 comprising the refiexed end C and'the portion of the strap upon; which it is reflexed constitute a guard tofbdetain the engaging device out of the path of, the intruded end of the seto curing device'until that encounters the engaging device at a point remote from its engaging endsand moves it to the apertures in the" guard, and it will be obvious to any mechanic'that'themaking' of this guard in one piece with the strap which constitutes the securing device, and thereby making it serve as a means for attaching the strap to the sealbody, is a matter of convenience and cheapn'ess of manufacture; and it will be evident ,lil so that the use of the looped strap as the securingdevice is not obligatory, but that any device which can be rendered undetachabl'e from the package or look which it is intended to guard by having the seal appended toiit z 5 may be employed by having its end properly formed to be inserted into the guard, as described. 1 y 4 I claim--- 1. In a seal, in bered body, a'securi'ng device adapted to be inserted thereinto and an engaging device lodged unattached in the chamber and come -pletely inclosed therein, such engaging device being a spring adapted to be encountered by the intruded securing device and to react automatically into'engagcment therewith.

2. In a sealpin combination with the chambered body, a securing device adapted to be inserted thereinto and to substantially close 40 the aperturethrough which it is inserted; an elastically-operating catch lodged within the chamber adapted to engage the securing de-.

- vice back of its intruded end; a guard which detains the engaging end of the catch out of 5 the path of the intruded securing device;

said guard and catch being relatively movable and-one of said parts-being extended into the path ofthe intrudedsecuring device and adapted to be encountered thereby and moved relatively to the other partto cause the disengagement of said parts to'permit the catch to engage the securing device.

3. In aseal,-in combination with a chambered body, a securing device adapted to be 5 5 inserted thereinto and to substantially close" the aperture through which it is inserted; an

.- elastically-operating catch lodged within thechamber adapted to engage the intrudedsecuringdevice; a guard which detains the engaging end of thecatch out of the path of the intruded securing device, the catch being.ex tended into-the path of said intruded securing device and adapted to be encountered thereby and disengaged from the guard.

4. .In a seal, in combination with a chambercd'body, a securingdevice adapted to be inserted thereinto, and when fully inserted to combination with a (Sham-- close the aperture through which it is inserted,

an engaging device lodged unattached withinthe chamber and. wholly inclosed thereby, such engaging device being adapted to be en-' countered by the intruding securing device, and to-react automatically into engagement with-the latter when so encountered.

5. In a seal, in combination with a chambered body, a securing device adapted to be inserted into the chamber and to fill the apertnre through which it is thus inserted; and a spring which normally coils with its ends lapped lodged within the chamber,- and a de-' vicewithin the chainberwhich-holds theends .of the spring separatedto permit the inserted securing :device to pass )etween them, the

locking device having an aperture back of its inserted end and adapted after entering betweensaid ends to withdrawthem from the separating device, whereby the spring may be coiled through said aperture.

6. In a seal,'in combination with a chambered body having a throated neck whose throat constitutes the only access to the chamher, a securing device adapted to be inserted through such throat and to substantially fill the same; a spring coiled so that normally its ends lap lodged within the chamber; and a device fixed with respect to'the chamber-wall adapted to hold'the endsof the spring separated and on'opposite sides of the throatway, the securing device having an aperture in its inserted portion at a distance back from the end equal to' the diam eter of the coiled spring,

whereby, when inserted through the throatway, it passes between the separatede'nds and encounters the opposite side of thelcoiland pulls its ends oft the separating device,'where-- by the ends lap through said'apertur'e 7. In a seal, in combination with the body having a shallow or fiat chamber anda groove or channel transverse with respect to the flat chamberand a neck provided with a threatway. corresponding to the cross-section of the groove or channel, such throatway constituting the only entrance into the chamber; a securing device adapted to be inserted through the throatway into the groove and to completely close the throatway when thus inserted, a spring coiled so that normally its ends lap lodged unattached in the flat chamher and adapt-ed to'extend .on' both sides of the plane of the groove; guards extending from the opposite sides of the .throatway re spectively adapted to hold the ends of the spring separated the securing device having an aperture back of the end which is inserted through the throat a distance substantially equal to the diameter of the spring, wh ereby, upon its insertion through the throat, it passes between the separated ends and encounters the opposite side of the spring and pulls it oil of the separating device-and is engaged by the lapped ends of the spring through its aperture.

8. In a seal, in combination with the chambered body A, B, having transverse recesses,

the securing device consisting ofthe strap having one end folded upon the other and the folded portion permanently secured in the transverse recess and having coinciding apertures within the chamber; the springD coiled so that. its ends lap, and lodged unattached within the chamber and having its ends separated by and bearing against the opposite sides of the folded strap, the opposite end of the strap being adapted to be inserted between the folds of the per-manently-secured end, and provided with an aperture at adistance back from its end subs antially equal to the diameterof the spring, whereby when thus inserted it passes between the separated ends and encounters the opposite side of the spring and disengages the separated ends and receives thenrlapped through its aperture.

9. Ina seal, in combination with the chairbered body A, 13, having transverse grooves constituting a seat for the securing device, and a throatway leading from the seal-charm her; the seeurin g device consisting of a strapfolded upon itself at one end and notched lo11 gitudinally through the fold and havingthe coinciding apertures c 0 back of the notch,

such folded end being lodged in the transverse grooves and permanently secured within the seal and extending therefrom, the outer and adapted to coincide with the apertures e when said end is inserted between the folded portions.

10. Ina seal,in comhinationwiththe chambered body, the securing device consisting of a strap adapted to be inserted into mic-h body and to close the aperture through which itis. thus inserted and having an aperture in the inserted portion; a spring normally coiled so, I that its ends lap lodged within the chamber,

and a device therein which holds the ends of the spring separated to permit the inserted seen ring device to pass between them and afterward dislodge them and receive the lapped ends through its aperture, said spring, when spread to separate its ends, being in contact chamber.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand, at Chicago, Illinois, in the presence at opposite sides with the edge walls of the -ot two witnesses, this 1st dqy et laebruary,v

EMIL TYDEN. Witnesses:

J EAN ELLror'r,

LILLEY W. J OHNSTONE, 

